In England, the bluenoses decided that the title would never do, so it had to be amended to MERRILY WE GO TO. . . That decision is almost, but not quite, as inane as the movie. Everyone drank and smoked in the movies of the early 1930s and this is a prime example. March is a mostly tipsy
newpaperman with aspirations as a playwright who is on the verge of...read more

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In England, the bluenoses decided that the title would never do, so it had to be amended to MERRILY WE GO TO. . . That decision is almost, but not quite, as inane as the movie. Everyone drank and smoked in the movies of the early 1930s and this is a prime example. March is a mostly tipsy

newpaperman with aspirations as a playwright who is on the verge of having a play produced. He is about to attend his own engagement party, but goes out on a toot and leaves his fiancee, Sidney, fuming. She's a wealthy heiress and very concerned about status. Gallagher, a friend of March's, has

been assigned to keep an eye on the newsman but doesn't live up to his promise. March's play opens and he celebrates by getting even drunker than the time before. Sidney and March are married and he manages to misplace the wedding ring, so they have to replace it with a can opener in order to seal

the marriage. March keeps tossing 'em down, and Sidney gets disenchanted and leaves him, returning to Chicago and her father, Irving. But the short marriage has produced a pregnancy and several complications. Sidney goes to the hospital and her life is threatened. Irving is totally against March,

but he finally relents somewhat and March goes to see Sidney in the hospital, where he promises to swear off the hooch so they can make a new life together as a family. One of the very first female directors, Dorothy Arzner, does her best with the bogus sophistication, but it's to no avail, and

the picture of March trying to emulate Jack Norton (the world's best screen drinker) is not a pretty one. A lot of drinking jokes in the padded story take up too much time and are no substitute for content. In a small role, you'll spot Cary Grant in his third screen assignment.

Review: In England, the bluenoses decided that the title would never do, so it had to be amended to MERRILY WE GO TO. . . That decision is almost, but not quite, as inane as the movie. Everyone drank and smoked in the movies of the early 1930s and this is a prime… (more)